Electron-discharge device



1 Feb 8 927 A. MAVROGENIS ELECTRON DISCHARGE DEVICE Filed Jan. 15. 1926 INVENTOR Qr/sfofe fl/a/ro am ATTORNEYS latented Feb. 8, 1927.

,UNITED/ STATES v "wrath PATENT orrlca.

n'nrsrornmavnoenms, or MILWAUKEE, wrsconsm.

'nLEcrnoN-mscmnen nnvrcn- App lication filed .ianuarj s, i926. Serial No. arses.

invention relates I to electron discharge devices. 3 v I This invention is an improvement Dyer? thatdisclosed in my copending applications forelectron discharge deyice's, Serial Num-x ber 78,876, filedianhary 2,1926, and has in general the same objects as those disclosed" in such applicatiomL -"r;'

As stated in my copending applicationthe electron discharge device is \designed' to.

be energized by. alternating current, both as to its plate and filament circuits, and is' adapted to rectify the alternating. current directly from-alternating current supply mains or from transformers and to smooth-J out pulsations and remove the hum, thus fitting the device eminently for the reception of wireless waves. a

The primary object of this invention is to provide an electron discharge device having the above characteristics which alsohas an even larger constanti of amplification than that attained by the device disclosed my. above. noted application.

. v, A further object of this invention is to further reduce the cost of operation of the applaratus. j

ore specifically, this invention has for its object the provision of a unitary electron discharge device directly energized from alternating current as to all of its parts and adapted for the reception of wirelesswaves in which means are bridged around the audion portion of the apparatus and its translating circuit which temporarily stores up energy when the current flow through the audionis either reduced or stopped and which delivers this energy when the audion flow is a ain established.

Embodiments of the invention are shown inthe accompan ing drawings, in which Fi ure 1 is a iagrammatic view showing one Form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a corresponding view show ing a further form of the invention.

Referring to Figure 1, it will be seen that the device is a unitary structure having a highly evacuated vessel '1- within which are positioned an audion portion, a rectitying portion, and a current limiting portion represented respectively by the reference charaeters vA, R and C.

The audion is provided with a plate 1 cooperating with an equipotential cathode 2 and having a grid 3 interposed between -.cathode closely spaced so that it attains its above noted application.

rectifier; is vconnected to the late 8 of the the plate and cathode. The cathode is heated by means of a filament 4.

The: rectifying apparatus consists of a plate '5 and' eguipotential cathode 6 and a filament 7 'forheating such cathode. The current-limiting device consists of a plate 8, an equipotential cathode 9. and a I11amerit110 for heating such cathode. This current-l miting" device has its plate and saturatioiiipoint 'at a minimum voltage.

tFurtherg as described in greater detail in my copen ing application noted above, each .oftheplates and equipotential cathodes are ofextensive surface to thus reduce the voltage. drop across the elements when the devices are functioning.

The evacuated'vessel 1 carries a relatively large condenser 11, a high resistance 12 and a small capacity condenser13.

This device is provided with four prongs which are diagrammatically indicated at 14, 15, 16 and 17 and may have the mechanicalconstruction such as disclosed in my The elementsof the apparatus are connec'ted as follows:-The prong 17 is con- 'nected'to the filament 7, such filameiit being connected to the filament 10. The filament-10 is connected to the filament 4 and theretum conductor 18 is connected to the prong 16.

1 Thejplate 5 of the rectifier is connected to. the prong: 17. ,Thecathode 6 of vthe current limiting device and a so to one side of the large condenser 11,the other side of such condenser being connected to the conductor 18 and from thence to the prong 16.. "Th e cathode 9 of the current limiting dBVlCB 15 connected to the plate 1- of the audion and is also connected to one side of the high resistance 12 and the small capacity condenser 13, the other side of the condenser and resistance 13 and 12 being 1 connected to the return conducton18 and'to 1 the pron 16. The cathode of the audion is connecte to the prong 14. The, grid is connected directly to the prong'15. I

The external wiring of this apparatus connects the prongs 16 and 17 with the alternating1 current supply means 19 and 20' throng a variable resistance-21. The prongs 14 and 15 are connected toopposite sides of the secondary 22 of an input transresistance 21.

-tive of any voltage pulsations.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows Alternating current is supplied to the apparatus from the mains 19 and 20. The current is rectified by the rectifier B. This current is pulsating although unidirectional. It is smoothed out by the large condenser 11 to a certain degree and is fed to the current limiting device. This current limiting device Works along the straight line portion of its characteristic curve, that is to say, is saturated at all values of the curve passed therethrough in the normal operation of the apparatus. Consequently, it holds this current to a fixed value irrespec- The fixed value current is supplied to the plate 1 of the audion and returns from the cathode 2 through the translating circuit which may include the primary 23 of the transformer.

It is to be noted that a variation of the resistance 21 varies both the temperature of the filaments and the voltage supplied to the plate circuits of the'apparatus, thus securing a unitary controL A small portion ofthe current from the current limiting deviceC is bypassed by the resistance 12 which isbridged around the audion and its translating circuit. However, any variationin the amount of current used by the audion during radio reception is temporaril compensatedfor' the small capacity con enser 13 and consequently the voltage at the plate of the audion is maintained absolutely constant al though the audion may be at its lowest or highest operating portion of its plate characteristic.

It is apparent, therefore, that the leak resistance 12 may be of very high value and mziy thus waste a minimum of current.

s a practical illustration of one form which the device may take, it has been found that the condenser 11 may be not more than 1m. f., the condenser 13 may be .0002 m. f., and the resistance 12 may be from 50,000 to 100,000 ohms. These dimensions, of course, may be departed from for other sizes or types of the apparatus, but as a practical illustration they are given.

Itwill be seen, therefore, that the resistance 12 wastes a minute amount of current. However, thecondenser 13, although of small capacity; is sufficient to take up the extremely rapid variations caused by the varying amount of plate current flowing through the audion. This maintains the voltage at the audion absolutely constant although the audion may be functioning,

and thus there is no voltage rise at the audion even when the audion is at either its lowest or highest operating portion of its characteristic.

It is apparent, therefore, that there is no increase in voltage when the audion suppresses the plate current flow and consequently the voltage constantly supplied to the plate of the audion during the minimum flow of plate current. This markedly increases the constant of amplification of the apparatus as it does not cause the audion to operate at one voltage during current passage, and at a higher voltage during current suppression. Further, it is to be particularly noted that this result is attained with a minimum of waste of bypassed current due to the high resistance 12.

- Substantially the same form of the invention is illustrated in Figure 2 with the exception, however, that the resistance 12 is omitted and the tube is a five-prong tube.

Referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that a unitary apparatus is also provided with a highl evacuated vessel 24 within which the audion A, rectifier R, and current limiting device C are positioned. The same reference numerals are employed in indicating the. elements of this device as those used in connection with the form shown in Figure 1, and it is not thought necessary to repeat the description for the identically similar elements. However, it is to be noted, as stated, that the condenser 13 alone is bridged around the audion and its translating circuit. Further, it is to be noted that a fifth prong 25 is provided for theplate 5 of the rectifier. This prong is connected to one end of the secondary 26 of a stepup transformer. The other end of this secondary is connected by means of the conductor 27 through the adjustable resist ance 21 to the other side of the translating circuit including the primary 23 of the transformer. The primary 28 of the stepup transformer is connected across the mains, as illustrated. The operation of this ap paratus is identically the same as that described with reference to Figure 1, except that no leak resistance 12 is rovided,- and also a higher voltage may e impressed upon the plate 5 of the rectifier by the useof the s tepup transformer.

It will thus be seen that a unitar electron discharge device has been provi ed for the reception, of wireless waves in which all of the parts including the heatingmembers and the plate circuits are energized directly fromcommercial alternatin current mains, and in which the hum is w 011 suppressed and the device operates absolute y noiselessly so far as the supply mains are concerned.

Further, it may be seen that the device may be very cheaply operated as there is a minimum demand for current made by the device. It may thus be operated very much more cheaply than any battery energized apparatus heretofore known. i

It is to be noted further that the apparatus is designed to give a constant current irrespective of fluctuations in voltage of the supply mains. For example, the current limiting device is adapted to become saturated before the minimum voltage of the mains is reached. Thus,nalthough lights and motors may be thrown on or ofl:' the mains, no variationin the reception will be occasioned with this device.

Although specific types of current limiting devices, rectifiers and audions have. been shown, it is understood that other devices of this nature may be employed in place of the ecific device described in detail in this ap- 'cation. v Further, it is to be noted that a very high constant of amplification is secured by this ap aratus.

though the-invention has been described in considerable detail, such description is intended as illustrative rather than limiting as the invention may be variously embodied and as the scope of such invention is to be determined as claimed.

I claim:

1. A unitary electron discharge device including an evacuated vessel, an audion having an equipotential cathode, a plate cooperating with saidcathode, and a grid interposed between said cathode and plate, a rectifier for supplying said plate, a current limiting device controlling the current supplied said plate, a condenser cooperating with said rectifier and current limiting device, and a second condenser bridged around condenser and a resistance bridged around said audion for bypassing a portion of the current supplied to the late of said jaudion.

In testimony that I c aim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

Anrsrorn MAvRoGENIsf. 

